For Moms-to-be during the times of CoronaVirus (COVID-19)
It is rightly said when a woman is pregnant, she goes through a lot of effort and pain to become a Mother. Being a one is a challenging phase of life and a pregnant woman gets infected easily from the environment for multiple reasons.
Isn’t it sounding risky for pregnant women to Quarantine during Covid-19?
It is the time when medical staff and Doctors are shaken globally trying to treat people suffering from Covid-19. The numbers and risks are increasing day by day and it has created a lot of pressure in one’s mind. The pregnant women are more prone to risk as their body gets physical and emotional changes, their immunity cannot be judged, and they should protect themselves from illness. Doctors do not know at this time if COVID-19 would cause problems during pregnancy or affect the health of the baby after birth but there is a risk.
Transmission of Coronavirus to a newly born baby has a risk as it occurs mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. As far as breast milk is concerned for feeding the baby it protects against many illnesses. WHO published an analysis of 147 pregnant women, 64 of them has infected by Corona Virus and found that 8 % of them were critically ill. Some babies born to women with symptoms of coronavirus in China have been born prematurely. It is unclear whether coronavirus caused this, or the doctors made the decision for the baby to be born early because the woman was unwell. The risk can not be determined as of now but the chances of getting infected are on the higher side.
If women are concerned and require urgent medical advice, they are encouraged to call the maternity triage unit in the first instance. Pregnant women are requested to travel by private transport and alert the maternity triage reception once on the premises, prior to entering the hospital.
Measures to take during or post-pregnancy are as follows-
- Isolate yourself to protect from any infection
- Do not take any medicine without doctors’ guidance
- Wear a mask while feeding the baby
- Wash hands before touching the infant
- Do not skip talking/meeting with your Gynaecologist.
- Cover your cough with your elbow
- Avoid people who are sick
Note:- Eat, Sleep, Isolate, and Repeat!
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